Gaba in Cosafa golden boot chase
Flames forward Frank ‘Gabadinho’ Mhango is a favourite to win the ongoing Cosafa Cup Golden Boot Award as he is the joint leading scorer with three goals
Prior to last night’s plate phase semi-final against Comoros, the Bidvest Wits striker was tied with Mauritius’ Ashley Naziri whose side has since been booted out of the regional showpiece.
Mhango moved to joint top of the scorers chart with his third goal against Zambia’s Chipolopolo in the quarter-finals, which ended two-all in regulation time after Zambia struck a last-minute equaliser. The Flames lost 4-2 on post-match penalties.
Another Flames forward Gerald Phiri Jnr, Comoros’ Ibrahim Youssuf and Namibia’s Isasker Guriab had scored two goals apiece.
Mhango, who turned the ball home from close-range to take his Cosafa Cup career tally to six, is also in sight of the all-time leading scorers in the competition, as he is two shy of Zimbabwe’s legend Peter Ndlovu and Felix Badenhorst from e-Swatini, who have eight apiece.
He scored a hat-trick in Flames’ 3-0 win over Angola during the 2016 edition.
In an interview yesterday, the South Africa-based forward was a model of modesty and played down his impressive form at the tournament in which he has scored in each group game.
“Honestly, I did not know about that and I am flattered by the statistics, but it is not necessarily the personal glory that matters. Rather it is about fighting for the team,” he said.
